India's two largest listed polyaluminium chloride (PAC) manufacturers are Grasim Industries (Aditya Birla Group) and Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL), both operating as integrated chlor-alkali producers in Gujarat. Grasim produces PAC as a downstream chlorine derivative at its Vilayat and Nagda complexes, while GACL commissioned a dedicated 9,900 MTPA PAC powder plant at its Coelho Complex in Vadodara in February 2025. Both companies are positioned to serve growing Asian demand for PAC in municipal water treatment, paper sizing, and textile effluent treatment as Asia-Pacific's water treatment market expands at a projected 7.7% CAGR through 2035.

Grasim Industries and Gujarat Alkalies: India's PAC Manufacturers and Their Export Position in Asia

India's PAC export story runs through Gujarat. Both Grasim Industries and GACL operate their primary chlor-alkali and downstream chemical manufacturing from Gujarat — Grasim from its Vilayat complex in Bharuch district and its flagship Nagda facility in Madhya Pradesh, GACL from its Vadodara and Dahej complexes — and both treat PAC as a value-added chlorine derivative, using surplus chlorine from caustic soda production to manufacture PAC rather than allowing it to remain as low-value liquid chlorine. This integrated cost structure gives Indian-origin PAC a structural pricing advantage against standalone PAC producers in markets where caustic soda and chlorine prices are decoupled.

Grasim Industries: PAC as Part of India's Largest Chlor-Alkali Platform

Grasim Industries, the Aditya Birla Group's flagship company and one of India's largest listed industrial manufacturers, reported consolidated net revenue of Rs 1,30,978 crore (exceeding USD 15 billion) in FY2024 — its highest-ever annual revenue. The chemicals business, which includes chlor-alkali and specialty chemicals, contributed to that performance through caustic soda volume growth of 6% year-on-year in Q3 FY24, driven by improved domestic demand.

Grasim's PAC production sits within its chlorine derivatives portfolio, alongside Stable Bleaching Powder (SBP), Chlorosulphonic Acid (CSA), Chlorinated Paraffin Wax (CPW), Calcium Chloride, Aluminium Chloride, and Chloromethane. The company operates India's largest caustic soda unit at Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, where installed capacity has grown from an initial 33 KTPA to 270 KTPA. Its Vilayat complex in Bharuch — the same site housing its 123 KTPA epoxy plant — serves as the primary production and export hub for chlorine derivatives including PAC, benefiting from proximity to Dahej port for outbound chemical shipments to Asian markets.

Aditya Birla Chemicals, operating as the chemicals arm under Grasim, has maintained an export-oriented presence in Asia for over 50 years. Its regional footprint includes Aditya Birla Chemicals Thailand (ABCTL), which manufactures sulphites, phosphates, and caustic-chlorine derivatives in Southeast Asia and is the second-largest global manufacturer of sulphites. This established regional distribution infrastructure makes Grasim-origin PAC accessible to buyers in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian markets through an in-region network rather than purely direct export.

Procurement teams across Asia evaluating Indian-origin PAC for municipal water treatment, paper sizing, or textile effluent applications should assess whether a distributor with established Indian-origin supply relationships and regional logistics capability can provide consistent COA documentation across shipment batches. Tradeasia International, a Singapore-headquartered global chemical supplier and distributor with over 20 years of supply chain experience, distributes PAC to water treatment operators, paper manufacturers, and industrial buyers across Asia, including in Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and Thailand. Buyers can contact Tradeasia International for Indian-origin PAC specifications, Al2O3 content documentation, and volume pricing.

Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals (GACL): New PAC Powder Capacity and a Strengthened Export Case

GACL, promoted by the Government of Gujarat and listed on both BSE (530001) and NSE (GUJALKALI), is India's second-largest caustic soda manufacturer with an installed capacity of 852,400 tonnes per annum across its Vadodara and Dahej complexes. PAC is one of more than 35 products in GACL's portfolio, classified under its Special Chlorine Derivative Group alongside Anhydrous Aluminium Chloride and Stable Bleaching Powder.

The company's most significant recent PAC development was disclosed in its FY2024-25 operational updates: GACL commissioned a dedicated 9,900 MTPA PAC powder plant at its Coelho Complex, Vadodara, with the first consignment of PAC-30 powder dispatched on 7 February 2025. This facility converts PAC liquid — previously the primary commercial form — into dry powder, which offers a lower moisture content, extended shelf life, and significantly reduced freight weight per unit of active Al2O3 content. Powder-form PAC is the preferred import format for Asian buyers in markets where liquid chemical handling infrastructure is limited or where transportation distance from port to end-user adds cost and humidity exposure risk.

GACL's financial recovery trajectory adds context to this capacity addition. The company reported standalone net profit of Rs 15.82 crore in FY25, reversing a net loss of Rs 132.24 crore in FY24, with revenue from operations rising 7% to Rs 4,072.91 crore in FY25. In Q2 FY2025-26, sales revenue reached Rs 1,063 crore, a 10% increase year-on-year, supported by higher capacity utilization and improved sales realization. During FY2024-25, GACL executed bulk exports of Caustic Soda Lye and exported Methylene Chloride to over 20 countries — an established export capability that the new PAC powder plant is positioned to extend into PAC trade flows.

India's PAC Export Position in Asia: The Commercial Opportunity

Asia-Pacific accounted for approximately 35-37% of global PAC market value in 2024, with the region's water and wastewater treatment market valued at approximately USD 176 billion in 2025 and growing at a projected 7.7% CAGR through 2035. Municipal water utilities drive approximately 70% of global PAC consumption, and Southeast Asia — particularly Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand — is the fastest-growing sub-region for imported PAC as urbanization accelerates and environmental regulations tighten.

PAC prices in India followed an upward trend through the first half of 2025, recovering from a January dip driven by slow offtake and lower raw material costs. The pricing environment in APAC in mid-2025 saw price rises linked to export demand and seasonal stocking, while Chinese FOB prices for spray-dried 30% solid PAC held in the USD 235–260 per metric tonne range. Indian-origin PAC, produced from chlor-alkali-integrated plants at Gujarat's coastal complexes, competes on both cost and lead time with Chinese-origin product for buyers in South Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Southeast Asia — particularly since Red Sea routing disruptions added USD 20–40 per metric tonne to China-origin landed costs for Middle Eastern buyers, improving Indian producers' competitive position.

The bauxite and alumina feedstock that anchors PAC production cost is subject to regional pricing volatility, and both Grasim and GACL benefit from Gujarat's industrial infrastructure and established aluminium compound supply chains. Raw material cost changes typically reach PAC market prices within 6–10 weeks under spot conditions, meaning buyers who lock in term contracts at current Indian FOB levels gain insulation from the next feedstock cycle.

Asian buyers sourcing PAC from Indian producers benefit from Tradeasia International's regional distribution network across Singapore, Indonesia, India, and Thailand — supplying PAC with basicity certification, Al2O3 content documentation, and heavy metal compliance verification to municipal water treatment operators, paper mills, and industrial effluent treatment facilities. With over 20 years of experience distributing chemical ingredients across Asia, Tradeasia International supports procurement teams managing Indian-origin PAC supply with grade-specific documentation and multi-shipment logistics coordination. Contact Tradeasia International for specifications, COA samples, and pricing for PAC procurement across Asia.

FAQ: Indian PAC Manufacturers and Asian Sourcing

What is polyaluminium chloride (PAC) and what is it used for? PAC (Na₂[Al₂(OH)nCl₆₋n]ₘ) is an inorganic polymer coagulant used primarily in water and wastewater treatment, where it destabilizes suspended particles and promotes floc formation more efficiently than conventional aluminum sulfate. It is also used in paper sizing as a retention and drainage aid, in textile effluent treatment for dye removal, and in oil-field water clarification. Water treatment accounts for approximately 70% of global PAC consumption.

What PAC grades do Grasim and GACL produce? Both companies produce PAC as a chlorine derivative from their chlor-alkali operations. GACL's new Vadodara plant specifically produces PAC-30 powder — a spray-dried format with approximately 30% Al2O3 content — which is the standard grade for export shipments to Asian water treatment buyers. Liquid PAC is also available for buyers with handling infrastructure. Buyers should specify Al2O3 content (typically 10–30%), basicity (%), and heavy metal limits (particularly iron) when requesting quotations from Indian producers.

How does India's PAC compare in price to Chinese-origin product? Chinese FOB prices for spray-dried 30% solid PAC were in the USD 235–260 per metric tonne range in early 2026. Indian-origin PAC is broadly competitive in South Asian and Middle Eastern markets, where Red Sea routing disruptions have added USD 20–40 per metric tonne to China-origin landed costs since 2024. For Southeast Asian buyers, the cost differential narrows, and selection between origins typically turns on lead time, documentation quality, and supplier reliability.

Where can Asian buyers source PAC from Indian manufacturers? Tradeasia International, Singapore-headquartered with regional offices across Indonesia, India, and Thailand, distributes PAC from Indian producers to water treatment operators, paper manufacturers, and industrial buyers across Asia. With over 20 years of supply chain experience and multi-origin sourcing capability, Tradeasia International supports Asian procurement teams with grade documentation, COA verification, and volume pricing for Indian-origin PAC. Contact Tradeasia International for product specifications and sourcing terms.